South Somerset District Council (19 018 921)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 27-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with breaches of planning control. This is because the complainant has not been caused any significant injustice.

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (19 009 025)

Statement Not upheld Planning applications 27-Mar-2020

Summary: There was no fault in how the Council reached its decisions to grant planning permission for development near Mr X’s home.

Chelmsford City Council (19 011 087)

Statement Not upheld Planning applications 26-Mar-2020

Summary: There is no fault in the way the Council considered the impact of a dormer extension on Mrs X’s property. There is also no fault in the Council deciding the addition of a flue to a single storey extension is covered under permitted development rules.

East Devon District Council (19 012 564)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 26-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council approved a development opposite his home that affects his privacy. The complaint was brought to us outside our 12-month time limit for investigations and there is no good reason to investigate it now.

Maidstone Borough Council (19 015 413)

Statement Upheld Planning applications 26-Mar-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to properly consider a planning application that affected her privacy. There was fault in the way the Council made its decision, but by the time we investigated the complaint, the Council had already found a satisfactory remedy for the impact on Mrs X. The Council has approved amended plans which should ensure a window facing Mrs X is obscured and fixed shut below a certain height.

Cambridge City Council (19 019 337)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 26-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a planning application for a development near the complainant’s home. This is because parts of the complaint are late and it is unlikely the Ombudsman would find fault in relation to the more recent issues.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (19 019 424)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 26-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint that a private company has been allowed to manage maintenance of a housing development. This is because the planning permission that allowed the company to be set up was granted by the Planning Inspectorate, which is not a body within the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. The Ombudsman will not investigate the Council’s involvement in an agreement with the developer because investigation is unlikely to find fault or produce a different outcome.

Cheshire East Council (19 011 285)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 25-Mar-2020

Summary: Mr C complains the Council failed to take enforcement action about the removal of a hedgerow. He also says he was not advised about the complaints process. The Ombudsman has found no evidence of fault in respect of enforcement. The Council did fail to advise Mr C about time restrictions on complaints. The Ombudsman has completed the investigation. He has upheld the complaint because of one fault by the Council but there is no outstanding injustice.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (19 013 170)

Statement Not upheld Planning applications 25-Mar-2020

Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s handling of a neighbour’s planning application. There was no fault in the consultation process or in the Council’s consideration of the application.

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (19 018 933)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 25-Mar-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council responded to a breach of planning control in a conservation area, or the associated complaint. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the way Council decided to handle the enforcement matter, and the complainant has not suffered a significant injustice as a result of the alleged faults by the Council.